Malibu Mini-X rig-out Part I - Checkout
Sept 7, 2007 17:00:36 GMT -1
Post by gerryw on Sept 7, 2007 17:00:36 GMT -1
Having just bought a used (2 month old) blemish-free Mini-X for a bargain price I needed to check out its sea worthiness before embarking on its full rig-out. Just as well really and a word of warning to all buying a new yak.
The test was simple - get in it and ride and deliberately capsize and ride some more and see how it works out.
A quick inspection from a 2hr session of the above revealed about a cupful of water inside the hull. Doh...Performance -wise she was great. Nothing came undone that shouldn't have and even the wife enjoyed her. (So much so I feel another investment coming on!) She also travels well upside down on the roof rack (the boat not the wife - haven't tried her yet...) at 70mph no problem. I even seem to get more mpg from the Frontera with her tied on than without!! (boat again not wife...)
Back to the checkout.
Back at base I laid her up on the lawn and got out the hose. (...from now on all references to 'her' are the boat not the wife...let's just be clear on that...) After carefully removing all water from the inside I applied the hose to each hatch in turn while staring through the other. The centre hatch was fine. Part of a Chieftan tank I recon. (Still mean the boat not the wife...) Well assembled and fitted - no leaks. (Well I now mean both actually...)
The fore hatch was a different story. Frankly the water just came straight in! On closer examination I found that whilst all rivets were present two on the left hand side were riveted to the hatch but not through the deck. And no they had not pulled back through. So there was little else to do but drill them all out and replace with s/s bolts.
On removing the hatch I also found a tear in the gasket seal -that didn't matter too much as I was replacing that with mastic. But I also found that the hatch hole had not been cut correctly. Instead of being a fraction larger that the hatch moulding it was slightly small. This meant that the deck had to buckle slightly before it would only partially seat. (Remember this was factory fitted!) I enlarged the hole very carefully paring away with a Stanley knife until it was a snug fit. (Thank God it hadn't been made too large.) I then applied mastic to both deck and hatch and placed it carefully back over the screw holes before introducing the extortionately priced (from a chandler
) s/s bolts of the correct size and head type. I tensioned each as you would a car wheel using opposites until it was neatly in place. Job done, time for a beer... doh!
I then rechecked the hatch after it had set with the hose on full throttle. Alas It was still leaking but this time from the rubber seal. You will find that these moulded hatches are not always plane and level and the T bar mechanism should make up for this. However, the mechanisms are also a moulded part and unlike those on seagoing craft they are also somewhat looser. Options were to modify the catches in some way - very difficult and a one way street if anything was to go wrong - or secondly improve the seal.
I am convinced that the seal failed due to slight buckling of the hatch body. All that was required was to increase its height. For this I used a short strip of closed cell foam door draught excluder. I removed the existing rubber seal and made sure it was clean. I then cut to width a length of the excluder and removed the sticky tape cover on both sides. This allows it to go round curves. I then placed it into the groove of the seal and then replaced the seal on top. Naturally it stuck to both groove base and the seal and due to its 3mm thickness effectively raised the seal by that much.
Another beer and it was time to try the hose test again.
I blasted the thing all around from every angle for ages. Looked inside and it was bone dry. Result at last.....high-five...
Then on to the rod holders.
The simplest way to test if they leak is to fill them up with water. If they do not leak they will remain full. (pretty bleedin' obvious..) Both passed the test. However, I was concerned that one was slightly away from the deck at one corner, to the extent that I could move the seal. So once again there was little option but to remove them and replace using s/s bolts.
After drilling out the rivets, once again I found that the hole for the starboard holder had been badly cut and was too small. These are oval holes and need some handiwork after starting with a hole cutter. This had not been done well at the factory. However, 30 mins with the trusty Stanley knife and the fit was perfect. Now came the interesting bit.
The standard Mini-X does not have a rear hatch and so you can only reach through from the cavernous centre one, unless of course you intend to fit one which should be done first for ease. Let me put it this way...I now understand what skills a gynecologist needs to have to perform his 'keyhole' surgery! ;D (Thank God I calrified to what I was refering earlier...)
At full stretch and balancing a nut and washer on a finger tip I managed to get a bite on the bolt. I then used a socket to help do up the bolt.
Eventually all was well and I was confident that the boat was completely watertight - ready to commence the fit out. That will include anchor trolley, fishfinder, battery stowage and Seajunky's 36 inch Toshiba tv if he hasn't sold it by then - see 'Bargains'...
Serious stuff...Lesson 1.
Even if you buy a new boat things can be wrong. Still check it thoroughly as if it were second hand. Whilst this was a used boat I at least didn't suffer the annoyance and frustration of things being wrong or having to return it after paying list price. I probably have a more sound deck now than had I bought ex-works.
Part II - installing the fishfinder......
Gerry
The test was simple - get in it and ride and deliberately capsize and ride some more and see how it works out.
A quick inspection from a 2hr session of the above revealed about a cupful of water inside the hull. Doh...Performance -wise she was great. Nothing came undone that shouldn't have and even the wife enjoyed her. (So much so I feel another investment coming on!) She also travels well upside down on the roof rack (the boat not the wife - haven't tried her yet...) at 70mph no problem. I even seem to get more mpg from the Frontera with her tied on than without!! (boat again not wife...)
Back to the checkout.
Back at base I laid her up on the lawn and got out the hose. (...from now on all references to 'her' are the boat not the wife...let's just be clear on that...) After carefully removing all water from the inside I applied the hose to each hatch in turn while staring through the other. The centre hatch was fine. Part of a Chieftan tank I recon. (Still mean the boat not the wife...) Well assembled and fitted - no leaks. (Well I now mean both actually...)
The fore hatch was a different story. Frankly the water just came straight in! On closer examination I found that whilst all rivets were present two on the left hand side were riveted to the hatch but not through the deck. And no they had not pulled back through. So there was little else to do but drill them all out and replace with s/s bolts.
On removing the hatch I also found a tear in the gasket seal -that didn't matter too much as I was replacing that with mastic. But I also found that the hatch hole had not been cut correctly. Instead of being a fraction larger that the hatch moulding it was slightly small. This meant that the deck had to buckle slightly before it would only partially seat. (Remember this was factory fitted!) I enlarged the hole very carefully paring away with a Stanley knife until it was a snug fit. (Thank God it hadn't been made too large.) I then applied mastic to both deck and hatch and placed it carefully back over the screw holes before introducing the extortionately priced (from a chandler
) s/s bolts of the correct size and head type. I tensioned each as you would a car wheel using opposites until it was neatly in place. Job done, time for a beer... doh!I then rechecked the hatch after it had set with the hose on full throttle. Alas It was still leaking but this time from the rubber seal. You will find that these moulded hatches are not always plane and level and the T bar mechanism should make up for this. However, the mechanisms are also a moulded part and unlike those on seagoing craft they are also somewhat looser. Options were to modify the catches in some way - very difficult and a one way street if anything was to go wrong - or secondly improve the seal.
I am convinced that the seal failed due to slight buckling of the hatch body. All that was required was to increase its height. For this I used a short strip of closed cell foam door draught excluder. I removed the existing rubber seal and made sure it was clean. I then cut to width a length of the excluder and removed the sticky tape cover on both sides. This allows it to go round curves. I then placed it into the groove of the seal and then replaced the seal on top. Naturally it stuck to both groove base and the seal and due to its 3mm thickness effectively raised the seal by that much.
Another beer and it was time to try the hose test again.
I blasted the thing all around from every angle for ages. Looked inside and it was bone dry. Result at last.....high-five...
Then on to the rod holders.
The simplest way to test if they leak is to fill them up with water. If they do not leak they will remain full. (pretty bleedin' obvious..) Both passed the test. However, I was concerned that one was slightly away from the deck at one corner, to the extent that I could move the seal. So once again there was little option but to remove them and replace using s/s bolts.
After drilling out the rivets, once again I found that the hole for the starboard holder had been badly cut and was too small. These are oval holes and need some handiwork after starting with a hole cutter. This had not been done well at the factory. However, 30 mins with the trusty Stanley knife and the fit was perfect. Now came the interesting bit.
The standard Mini-X does not have a rear hatch and so you can only reach through from the cavernous centre one, unless of course you intend to fit one which should be done first for ease. Let me put it this way...I now understand what skills a gynecologist needs to have to perform his 'keyhole' surgery! ;D (Thank God I calrified to what I was refering earlier...)
At full stretch and balancing a nut and washer on a finger tip I managed to get a bite on the bolt. I then used a socket to help do up the bolt.
Eventually all was well and I was confident that the boat was completely watertight - ready to commence the fit out. That will include anchor trolley, fishfinder, battery stowage and Seajunky's 36 inch Toshiba tv if he hasn't sold it by then - see 'Bargains'...
Serious stuff...Lesson 1.
Even if you buy a new boat things can be wrong. Still check it thoroughly as if it were second hand. Whilst this was a used boat I at least didn't suffer the annoyance and frustration of things being wrong or having to return it after paying list price. I probably have a more sound deck now than had I bought ex-works.
Part II - installing the fishfinder......
Gerry
